Levites'; their institution was without an oath, Christ's institution was with an oath. The argument may be thus framed : that priesthood which is established by an oath, is more excellent than that which is without an oath ; but Christ's priesthood is with an oath, and theirs without, ergo. ... It is here taken for granted that Christ was most solemnly instituted a priest, even by an oath ; yea, by the oath of God himself, which is the greatest and most solemn manner of institution that can be. Grod's oath imports two things: — (1.) An infallible certainty of that which he sweareth ; (2.) A solemn authority and dignity conferred upon that which he instituted by oath. Great and weighty matters of much concernment use to be established by oath. Hereby it appeareth that Christ's priesthood is a matter of great mo- ment, and of much concernment. This will appear the more evident, if we consider the person who was made priest, viz., our Lord Jesus Christ, who was the greatest person that could be ; Heb. vii. 28 ; therefore he is fitly called ' a great high-priest,' Heb. iv. 14. Or if we consider the ends of Christ's priesthood, which were very weighty, and that in reference both to God and man ; to God, for the mani- festation of his perfect justice, infinite mercy, almighty power, un- searchable wisdom, and other divine attributes, which never were, nor ever can be so manifested, as in and by Christ's priesthood ; to man, that God's wrath might be averted, his favour procured, man's sin purged, and he freed from all evil, and brought to eternal happiness. Or if we consider the benefits of Christ's priesthood, which are answer- able to the foresaid ends. Jesus Christ was appointed and made by the Father, ' The apostle and high-priest of the church's profession : ' Heb. iii. 1, 2, 'Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high-priest of our profession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to him that appointed him.' Christ had a divine call to the execution of all those offices, which he sustained as our mediator, he did not run before he was sent, he did not act with- out a commission and warrant, he was lawfully constituted by him who had power to undertake that great charge he hath over the church ; this we shall find asserted of all his three offices. As for his priestly office, he was made a priest by an immediate call and ordination from God, Heb. v. 4-6. The scope of the apostle is to set out the excellency of Christ's priesthood, by comparing it with the Levitical. His priesthood had a concurrence of all things necessary to the Levitical ; and it had many excellencies above that. Now among other things required in the priesthood of Aaron, this was one, there must be a divine regular call. This was in the priesthood of Christ; ' He was called of God, a high-priest, after the order of Melchisedec.'i That Ps. ex. 4, is God's sure and irrevocable promise to Christ, touching that excellent and eternal priesthood, whereby the recovery of his seed was to be meritoriously obtained. This priestly ofiice of Christ is sure, because it is confirmed by God's oath, of which before as well as his promise. The promise makes it sure, the oath doubly sure, irrevocable ; and certainly the Lord neither can nor will
^ Ps. CI. 4. The Hebrew is, ' Thou a priest,' &c., i.e., ' Thou shalt be a priest for ever ;' it being the manner of the Hebrew tongue, sometimes for brevity sake, to leave out a word, which is to be understood and supplied.
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ever repent himself of this promise and oath. The priesthood of Christ is the most noble part of all his mediation. In the priesthood of Christ, and in that especially, lies the latitude and longitude, the profundity and sublimity of Grod's love towards us ; and in respect of this especially, is the whole mystery of our redemption by Christ called jJbeyaXela tov 6eov, the magnificent works of Grod. Christ as man, and as mediator between God and man, was, by his Father, deputed unto his priestly office. Concerning the dignity and excel- lency of Christ's priestly office, above the Levitical priesthood, I have spoken elsewhere. But,
[2.] Secondly, God the Father promises to Jesus Christ to make him a prophet, a great prophet, yea, the prince of prophets. Christ is a prophet, in way of eminency and excellency, above all other pro- phets ; he was the chief, the head of them all. Christ was made a prophet by an immediate call and ordination from God. Christ, in respect of his prophetical office, can plead the authority of his Father ; he can shew a commission for this office, under his Father's own hand. Deut. xviii. 18, 'I will raise them a prophet from among their brethren like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth ; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command them.' i Christ does not raise himself up to the prophetical office, but God the Father raises him up to this great office. He was anointed of Gt)d to preach glad tidings. Weigh that, Isa. xlii. 6, ' I will give thee for a light to the Gentiles ; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from their prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house.' ' The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me, to preach good tidings unto the meek ; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted,' &c., Luke iv. 18. Thus you see that this prophetical dignity of Chiist, that he is the grand doctor of the church, is built upon the authority of his Father, who hath authorised and commissionated him to that great office : Isa. 1. 4, ' The Lord hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary : he- wakeneth morning by morning ; he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.'^ Thus you see that God the Father promiseth to invest Christ with a prophetic office for the opening the eyes of the blind, &c. This great prophet is richly furnished with all kinds of knowledge ; ' In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.' They are hid in him as gold and silver are in suo loco, as the philosopher speaks, hid in the veins of the earth. ' Treasures of knowledge,' that is, precious knowledge, saving knowledge ; * Treasures of knowledge,' that is, plentiful know- ledge, abundance of knowledge ; ' Treasures,' that is, hidden and stored knowledge, was laid up in him. All the angels in heaven, and aU the men on earth, do not know all that is in the heart of God ; but now Jesus Christ, ' who lies in the bosom of the Father,' John i. 18, he knows all that is in his Father's heart. All those secret mysteries, that were laid up in the bosom of eternity, are fully known to this great prophet of the church ; John v. 20, ' The Father loveth the Son,
^ See Acts iii. 22, and vii. 37; Deut. xviii. 15; Isa. Ixi. 1.